Pool-ball manipulating device



Feb. 22, 1966 J. LEIGH 3,236,519

POOL-BALL MANIPULATING DEVICE Filed Dec. 31, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F' G u C mvmoa J o h n Lel g h ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1966 J. LEIGH POOL-BALL MANIPULATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 51, 1964 p36 FIG.8.

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INVENTOR John Leigh mug 0 3 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,236,519 POOL-BALL MANIPULATING DEVICE John Leigh, 9 7th St., Bayville, Long Island, N.Y. Filed Dec. 31, 1964, Ser. No. 422,769 10 Claims. (Cl. 273-22) This invention relates generally to ball racks for pool tables and more particularly to an improved pool-ball manipulating and positioning device especially adapted to facilitate and expedite the placement of racked balls upon a table surface and to further preclude wear or attrition with respect to said surface during such placement operation.

The invention is additionally directed to the provision of a device which will enable the direct and simultaneous movement of all the balls utilized in the game of pool from the collection area beneath the table to the precisely desired region upon the table, i.e., without the user directly handling any of the balls either singly or collectively.

A further object of the instant invention resides in the provision of a triangular frame adapted for rollable support upon the pool-balls contained within the triangular area thereof.

Another general object of the present invention is to provide a device of the described character which will be simple in structure, economical of manufacture and highly effective in use.

Other objects and advantages of the instant pool-ball manipulating device will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice of the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the structure defined and pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved triangular frame looking at the bottom thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the triangular frame illustrated in FIGURE 1 looking at the top thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the triangular frame, a plurality of pool-balls being contained within the triangular area;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the assembly shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the triangular frame and pool-balls disposed upon a table surface;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the support platform;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 9 is an end elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of the triangular frame and pool-balls positionally secured upon said support platform;

FIGURE 11 is a cross-sectional side elevational view taken along line 11-11 of FIGURE 10; and

FIGURE 12 is an end elevational view taken along line 12-12 of FIGURE 10.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, FIGURES 1-4 show the novel triangular frame designated generally by numeral 1 in various exemplary positions. As will be observed, said triangular frame includes side walls 2, 4 and 6 and vertices 8, 10 and 12, said walls and vertices defining triangular area 14 wherein pool-balls 16 are collected and arranged. Lateral lugs 18 which, as shown, are arranged in spaced pairs, overlie the triangular area 14, said pairs of lugs being disposed adjacently each vertex, e.g., vertex 10,

3,236,519 Patented Feb. 22, 1966 and are positioned in a catercornered manner with respect thereto.

It will be understood that structure other than the lateral lugs shown herein may be employed to overlie the triangular area 14 whereby certain or all of the poolballs contained within said area will be caused to rollably support said triangular frame in the manner to be described; and accordingly such modifications are contemplated as falling within the purview of the present invention.

As illustrated specifically in FIGURE 6 of the drawings, a corner pool-ball 20, which as shown in FIGURE 3, is disposed beneath lateral lugs 18, will bear against lower arcuate surfaces 22 of the lugs and extend a distance d beneath the lower edge 24 of the triangular frame. Thus, as disclosed in FIGURE 5, corner balls 20 which bear against lugs 18, support the triangular frame 1 above the table surface 26, it being appreciated that said frame and balls will be movable as a unit upon said table surface, said corner balls 20 serving as wheels upon which the triangular frame is temporarily rollably supported.

With reference again to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, leg 28 is shown slidably connected to vertex 8 of the triangular frame, brad 30 and slot 32 coacting to enable said leg to be moved between an extended position as shown in FIGURE 2 to a retracted position as shown in FIGURE 1, said leg being frictionally secured to render it self-retainable in either position. As will be described hereinbelow following, the aforedescribed leg 28, when in the extended position shown in FIGURES 2 and 11 serves to support the triangular frame whereby the lower edge 24 thereof is spaced from a supporting surface to enable pool-balls to enter beneath the overlying lugs, or lateral means. It will be understood that more than one leg may be utilized to support the triangular frame for the foregoing purpose.

The herein illustrated embodiment shows one leg 28 being utilized and the cooperative action thereof with shoulder means included on the support platform 34, the latter being adapted to carry the triangular frame as the latter collects pool-balls deposited beneath the pool-table and also while the frame is transferred, with the poolballs, to the surface of the table. When it is desired to roll the triangular frame and balls into place on the table surface 26 as in FIGURE 5 of the drawings, the leg 28 or spacer means is retracted, the corner balls 20 then assuming the spacing function and further occasioning the rollable attribute to the triangular frame. Of course, once the pool-balls and triangular frame are properly positioned on the table surface, the frame is lifted away in the conventional manner to leave the racked balls ready for play.

With specific reference now to FIGURES 7-10 of the drawings, the support platform generally designated by numeral 34 will be seen formed of base 36, upwardly extended wall 38 at one end of said base and shoulder or step 40 formed at the juncture of said base and wall as clearly shown in FIGURE 8. Spring clip 42 functions as means for retaining said triangular frame 1 with respect to said support platform 34, a wall of the former being removably held by said retaining means as illustrated in FIGURES 10 and 11 of the drawings.

As observed in FIGURES 10 and 11 shoulder 40 and leg 28 act cooperatively to support the triangular frame 1 spacedly with respect to base 36, pool-balls 20 being respectively receivable beneath each pair of lugs 18 while said frame is thus spacedly supported, said received poolballs being, therefore, adapted to rollably support said triangular frame when said leg is in the retracted position and the frame is removed with respect to said platform.

Although certain embodiments of the pool-ball manipulating device have been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the forms, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally statedconsists of a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pool-ball manipulating and positioning device comprising in combination, a triangular frame and a support platform, said triangular frame including side walls and vertices, said walls and vertices defining a triangular area wherein pool-balls may be collected and arranged, a pair of spacedly opposed lugs overlying the triangular area adjacent each vertex, a leg movably connected to a vertex, said leg being movable between an extended and a retracted position, said platform having a base and an upwardly extendingwall at one end thereof and a shoulder provided at the juncture of said base and wall, said shoulder and leg in extended position being cooperatively adapted to support said frame spacedly with respect to said base, pool-balls being respectively receivable beneath each pair of lugs when said frame is so spacedly supported, said received pool-balls being adapted to rollably support said triangular frame when said leg is in the retracted position and the frame is removed with respect to said platform.

2. A pool-ball adjusting and positioning device comprising in combination, a triangular frame and a support platform, said triangular frame including side walls and vertices, said walls and vertices defining a triangular area wherein pool-balls may be collected and arranged, lugs overlying the triangular area, at least one leg slidably connected to said frame exteriorly of said triangular area, said leg being movable between an extended and a retracted position, said platform having a base and an upwardly extending wall at one end thereof and a shoulder provided at the juncture of said base and wall, said shoulder and leg being cooperatively adapted to support said frame spacedly with respect to said base, pool-balls being receivable beneath said lugs when said frame is spacedly supported, said received pool-balls being adapted to rollably support said triangular frame when said leg is in the retracted position and the frame is removed with respect to said platform.

3. A pool-ball collecting and positioning device comprising in combination, a triangular frame and a support platform, said triangular frame including side walls and vertices, said walls and vertices defining a triangular area wherein pool-balls may be collected and arranged, lateral means overlying the triangular area, said lateral means being adapted to coact with pool-balls to support said triangular frame spacedly with respect to a flat surface, retractible spacer means connected to said frame, said spacer means being movable between an extended and a retracted position, said platform having a base and an upwardly extending wall at one end thereof, and shoulder means adapted to partially support said triangular frame, said spacer means, when extended, and said shoulder means being adapted to cooperatively support said frame spacedly with respect to said base, pool-balls being receivable beneath said lateral. means when said frame is spacedly supported, said received pool-balls being adapted to rollably support said triangular frame upon said sur- 4 face when said spacer means occupies the retracted position, and the frame is removed with respect to said platform, said pool-balls being rollably disposed between said lateral means and said surface.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein retaining means is attached to the upwardly extending wall of said platform, said retaining means being removably securable to a wall of said triangular frame.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said retaining means is formed of a spring clip.

6. A triangular frame for collecting and positioning pool-balls comprised of side walls and verticles, said walls and vertices defining a triangular area wherein pool-balls may be arranged, lateral means overlying the triangular area, said lateral means being adapted to coact with poolballs located within said triangular area to support said side walls spacedly with respect to a flat surface, retractible spacer means connected to said frame, said spacer means being movable between an extended and a retracted position, said spacer means, when extended, being adapted to support said frame spacedly with respect to a surface, pool-balls being receivable beneath said lateral means when said frame is spacedly supported, said received poolballs being adapted to rollably support said triangular frame on said surface when said spacer means occupy the retracted position.

7. A triangular frame according to claim 6 wherein said lateral means comprise pairs of spacedly opposed lugs overlying the triangular area adjacent each vertex.

8. A triangular frame accordingto claim 6 wherein said lateral means comprise lugs overlying the triangular area.

9. A triangular frame acording to claim 6 wherein said lateral means comprise lugs overlying the triangular area, said lugs having an arcuate surface adapted to accommodate the curvature of a pool-ball.

10. A triangular frame for collecting and positioning pool-balls comprised of side walls and vertices, said Walls and vertices defining a triangular area wherein pool-balls may be arranged, rigid lateral means unyieldingly overlying the triangular area, said lateral means being integrally connected to said triangular frame and being adapted to coact with pool-balls received within said triangular area to thereby support said frame spacedly above a table surface, said pool-balls, when received within said area, being contiguously disposed between said lateral means and said table surface whereby said pool-balls will spacedly and rollably support said triangular frame above said surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 376,549 1/1888 Reinert 273-22 592,752 10/ 1897 Powell 273-22 752,292 2/ 1904 Juschke 273-22 1,115,911 11/1914 Dickinson 273-22 1,391,901 9/1921 McCool 273-22 1,743,891 1/1930 Horstmann 273-22 1,887,552 11/1932 Gunn 273-22 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner- G. L. PRICE, Assistant Examiner. 

3. A POOL-BALL COLLECTING AND POSITIONING DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A TRIANGULAR FRAME AND A SUPPORT PLATFORM, SAID TRIANGULAR FRAME INCLUDING SIDE WALLS AND VERTICES, SAID WALLS AND VERTICES DEFINING A TRIANGULAR AREA WHEREIN POOL-BALLS MAY BE COLLECTED AND ARRANGED, LATERAL MEANS OVERLYING THE TRIANGULAR AREA, SAID LATERAL MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO COACT WITH POOL-BALLS TO SUPPORT SAID TRIANGULAR FRAME SPACEDLY WITH RESPECT TO A FLAT SURFACE, RETRACTIBLE SPACER MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME, SAID SPACER MEANS BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN AN EXTENDED AND A RETRACTED POSITION, SAID PLATFORM HAVING A BASE AND AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING WALL AT ONE END THEREOF, AND SHOULDER MEANS ADAPTED TO PARTIALLY SUPPORT SAID TRIANGULAR FRAME, SAID SPACER MEANS, WHEN EXTENDED, AND SAID SHOULDER MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO COOPERATIVELY SUPPORT SAID FRAME SPACEDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE, POOL-BALLS BEING RECEIVABLE BENEATH SAID LATERAL MEANS WHEN SAID FRAME IS SPACEDLY SUPPORTED, SAID RECEIVED POOL-BALLS BEING ADAPTED TO ROLLABLY SUPPORT SAID TRIANGULAR FRAME UPON SAID SURFACE WHEN SAID SPACER MEANS OCCUPIES THE RETRACTED POSITION, AND THE FRAME IS REMOVED WITH RESPECT TO SAID PLATFORM, SAID POOL-BALLS BEING ROLLABLY DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID LATERAL MEANS AND SAID SURFACE. 